The evening forum was the fourth in a series around King County during which residents discuss experiences with law enforcement. Organizers plan to create an assessment of police misconduct in the county.

McKinney told the crowd of about 40 people at the Rainier Beach Community Center that she's heard similar complaints of police brutality in communities around the nation. She encouraged those in attendance to run for public office to fix institutions that are failing them.

"I would say, yes, test the system, but don't trust the system," said McKinney, who served six terms in Congress representing a suburban Atlanta district.

Six people offered testimony during the public comment session, which was anonymous. Most complained of harassment by officers in South Seattle and the surrounding suburbs.

One Seattle resident, an elderly black man, said he'd been hospitalized after a fight with officers during a random stop. He filed a complaint with the city, which he said was ignored.

"They just wanted a mug shot of me," he said. "They didn't want to ask any questions or anything like that."